Kabir Lawal, a member of parliament who represents the Kurfi constituency confirmed this on Monday, March 19, 2018, during a plenary session at the state assembly.
Alien disease devours 8 pupils in Katsina
MPs in Katsina state have launched an inquiry to find out a disease fast ravaging communities in the region.
He explained that the incident has forced school authorities to suspend learning activities.
“The epidemic has forced authorities of the school to shut down the school and send pupils back home,” says Lawal according to Punch News.
His account was supported by contemporaries, Garba Useini of the Kafur and Dutsin-ma's Honourable Bishir Mamnan. Their constituencies were also affected by the epidemic but they were not able to confirm the number of casualties.
The state's Science and Technical Education Board, however received blame for shutting down learning centers. It is feared that the move offers a chance of widespread.
In a bid to battle the growing menace, the house committees on education and health, have been charged with the duty and investigating the report and giving a feedback to the house.
The order came from speaker, Abubakar Kusada.
No one knows why Lassa Fever is on the rise in Nigeria
Since the beginning of the year 2018, several cases of Lassa fever have been reported in many states across the country, especially in the south.
The disease has even claimed many lives, just two months into the new year - patients, doctors and other health workers have been victims.
This has given rise to the question of why the disease is proving too stubborn for Nigeria to conquer, as it did Ebola and guinea-worm disease, in which no new cases have been recorded since 2013.
On Wednesday, February 21, 2018, the Director of Disease Control, Edo State, Dr Osamuwonyi Irowa, confirmed that 521 suspected cases of Lassa fever have been recorded in the state so far this month alone.
And as of February 18, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control(NCDC) reported 913 cases of Lassa fever and 73 deaths. That's compared with 733 cases and 71 deaths in all of 2017.
The number is a valid reason for Nigerian authorities to be concerned and put their best foot forward to end the epidemic once and for all.
"Everyone is scared," says Oyewale Tomori, a retired professor of virology who chairs Nigeria's Lassa Fever Eradication Committee.
ALSO READ: Liberia scarred by war and Ebola
Lassa fever, which was originally discovered in 1969 in Lassa village, Borno State, Nigeria, is a severe and often fatal hemorrhagic illness caused by Lassa virus.
Its symptoms start out with a fever, plus a general weakness in the body, then sore throat, muscle and chest pain, vomiting, diarrhea, coughing and stomach pain.
There have been countless outbreaks of various magnitude and severity across West Africa since the discovery.
Annual incidences of Lassa infections across the region was estimated at 300,000 and deaths at 5,000.
However, many cases were said to be unaccounted for due to scarce resources to diagnose the illness as well as inadequate surveillance.
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng